By Li Bo and Xue Wen

n 21 September 2021, it was Mid-Autumn Festival. The 31st batch of aid Zanzibar of Tanzania medical team formed by 21 people set off, to carry out the one-year foreign aid mission. In the ‘special team’, there were 12 medical workers of affiliated hospital of Nantong University.

10 September 2022, it was Mid-Autumn Festival. On Zanzibar Island 12000 km away, Nantong doctors completed foreign aid task, started quarantine and recuperation, preparing to return to China. That afternoon, Mr. Mwinyi, president of Zanzibar, awarded medals to Chinese medical team.

On 8 September, associate chief physician of affiliated hospital of Nantong University - Liu Tingting’s daily life and diagnosis and treatment work, was filmed by Xue Wen, a girl from Hebei who was staying in Zanzibar, and made into two short videos. After it was spread on Tik Tok, it attracted a lot of people’s attention and likes.

‘Thank you!’ Zana, student of school of journalism of the State University of Zanzibar, holding Liu Tingting’s hand, said in a little unskilled Chinese. By aid Africa Chinese teacher Li Yue’e, Zana contacted Liu Tingting and made an appointment on 31 August for her sister Lisa.

That day was Liu Tingting’s last working day on Zanzibar Island. Zana brought her sister Lisa to the hospital according to the appointment, and asked Liu Tingting to diagnose the weird disease which had troubled her for more than 10 years.

‘Lisa’s disease was very rare. Her family thought of many ideas and looked for many doctors, but it was never treated!’ Liu Tingting said.

Seeing Lisa’s X-ray report, Liu Tingting tried every way, by video conference and other methods, found Dermatologists from places including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Nantong for consultation with Lisa. However, all of them had not seen this type of disease before. The final result of the discussion of the experts was that Lisa had a type of soft tissue calcification, but due to the restricts of local conditions, they could not do further relevant checks on Lisa.

‘I collected all the documents of Lisa. After I return home, I will look for experts to help her.’ Liu Tingting said.

To make Lisa better as possible, and reduce her pain, Liu Tingting sent Lisa medicine, iodophor and cotton swabs which were brought from China. To express her gratitude, Zana picked a bunch of flowers and sent to Liu Tingting.

On the last working day in Zanzibar, apart from helping Lisa with her disease, Liu Tingting also sent going-away presents to African colleagues of Mnazi Mmoja Hospital.

The prepared gifts included pens, Chinese knots and thumb drives. Local resources were scarce indeed, those were brought from China by Liu Tingting at that time.

‘I wish you a safe journey back home, and come back to see us when there is opportunity!’ Ali said with gift in his hands.

Talking about the journey in the past one year, Liu Tingting had a lot of feeling, ‘on this beautiful island, I really felt the love for us from Zanzibar people. Zanzibar is like my second hometown! I am deeply in love with her!’

Zana (first one on the left) prepared a bunch of wild flowers, to thank Liu Tingting for seeing her sister Lisa.

Photo by Xue Wen